It Was Only Just A Dream
by KyleParker01
Summary: SwanQueen. Sometimes life can feel so fantastical that it's hard to believe what's happening is real. But what happens when things get out of control? When you're scared of who you might become... scared of hurting the people you love. The catch? You have to take that first step and see where it leads you!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Characters are not mine, as always! I make no profit or any personal gain from borrowing them. Only my own entertainment.**

 **A/N: Part 1 in a series of 5 stories, which I'll be posting as chapters. Each one is inspired by a song because I'm a hopeless music addict! As always, any feedback is more than appreciated!**

 **SOMETHING IN THE WAY**

 **YOU MOVE**

Emma stood in the dark cemetery staring at the doors of Regina's family vault. It wasn't anything new. She'd been inside more times than she cared to count. She'd been inside just a couple hours earlier, if she wanted to get technical. But something about the mausoleum never ceased to feel intimidating, if not a bit creepy. But it was more than just a resting place for Regina's father. And now her mother. The eerie building had clearly become what Emma could only describe as some sort of sanctuary for the brunette she knew was still hiding in its depths. Emma knew the reason Regina had given her for burying herself among her mother's spell books and whatever other things both women had brought with them from their world. Emma had heard Regina's reasons. But her lie detector didn't believe it for one second. Emma knew Regina. Whether the other woman would ever admit it or not, they were connected in more ways than either of them realized. But Emma was beginning to see.

Elsa's words from after Regina had disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke kept running through her mind _. If someone's important to you, you don't give up on them. Even if they say hurtful things._ And it wasn't the first time in less than a handful of hours that Elsa had given her, what Emma was quickly realizing, a pep talk. Conveniently, both times it had been about her relationship with Regina. Emma huffed at herself then. The word relationship did not belong in the same sentence as the names Emma Swan and Regina Mills. _Did they?_

Emma shook her head. Regina was still lost in her own self-pity, mourning the loss of a man who, quite frankly, she had only just met. And no matter how many times Regina looked her in the eyes and said she was looking for a way to help Marian, Emma knew her intentions were true. It's who Regina was slowly becoming. The why, however, was a lie. Emma knew Regina. They were more alike than either woman was ever going to admit. To anyone _or_ their selves. Emma shivered in the dark, absently kicking the loose dirt beneath her boots. Emma knew Regina was trying to do the right thing. To help a person in need. It didn't matter who that person was.

Personally, Emma didn't want to think about the situation at all. Did she feel guilty about saving a life? _No._ Did she feel guilty about changing the future? _No._

Until that sickening moment in the diner when Regina had turned on Emma, with pain and anger in her eyes, Emma hadn't given Robin Hood or his budding new relationship with the Mayor. Regina was always on Emma's radar. She was Henry's mother after all. But until that moment when Emma had realized she'd not only changed the course of one life, but multiple lives, did it register with her that someone was going to get hurt. She'd had no way of knowing that person would be the other mother of her son. Hadn't they just been slipping into a comfortable place? Hadn't they finally started to get along? Emma found herself wondering just how in the hell it had slipped under her radar that Regina might actually care for the man she'd been carrying on with. Because up until that moment in the diner, Emma had just assumed that Regina was simply going along with what she had been told was her destiny. Latching onto a man who she'd been told was her True Love.

"True Love." Emma scoffed at the words, talking to herself in the dark. Who in the hell did Tink think she was? Emma knew that _True Love_ was a thing. She'd saved Henry with it. Regina had given Henry his memories back with it. But who gave Tink the right to _tell_ someone who their True Love was supposed to be? If Emma had a say so, no one would ever be told who their True Love was supposed to be. Wasn't _that_ altering the future? How was that any different than a self-fulfilling prophecy? You tell someone something is going to happen and by default they manage to make it happen without ever having a chance to see how things might have turned out had they never been told. Emma kicked the ground hard then, mumbling to herself. "Such bullshit."

Shoving her hands into her back pockets, Emma couldn't help but wonder what in the hell she was doing. How long was she going to stand outside the vault and mull over the possibilities of all the ways this 'talk' could go wrong? Did it really matter? If Regina kicked her out, she'd just keep trying. Like it or not, she cared about Henry's other mother. The woman who had raised him and molded him into the amazing young man he was quickly turning into.

"Fuck it." Emma took one step and then another. "If she tells me to piss off, then I'll just find another way. And now I'm talking to myself. That's just great."

Emma pulled the door open as gently as possible. She had no doubts that Regina knew she was coming. Regina always knew when she was around. And still. Luckily the stone coffin had remained pushed aside as further proof that the other woman was hiding out below. Emma took the stairs slowly, mentally preparing herself for the multitude of possibilities for what was about to happen. When she took the last step and turned in the direction of where she knew Regina had been spending her time, Emma saw her from the back, staring blankly into the mirror.

"What do I have to do to get you to leave me alone Swan? Go. Away." Regina huffed as if she were exhausted and turned to face the approaching blonde.

"I'm an idiot." Emma blurted out without even thinking.

Regina looked taken aback but didn't miss a beat. "Finally. Something we can agree on."

Emma held up a hand in hopes of stopping her from saying anything else. After all, she'd come to talk and arguing was simply not on her agenda. "I'm an idiot because I've been down this road before."

"Irritating me? Yes you have."

Regina just couldn't seem to help herself. But Emma recognized it for what it was. A defense mechanism. So she refused to rise to the bait. And if she thought about it, rising to the bait hadn't even been on her radar. She was sick of verbally sparring with Regina and there was something weighing heavily in her chest, begging her to make things right.

"No. When I was a kid. Someone came into my life for a while and I thought we were gonna be…best friends. But this girl lied to me and I pushed her away because of that lie and she asked me to forgive her. But I never did. It took some time but I realized that was a mistake and I regretted the decision but by then it was too late. The damage was already done. I don't want to make the same mistake again Regina. Living in Storybrooke I've got my son. And my parents. And I love them…but they can't always understand me. They don't know what it feels like to be rejected and misunderstood. Not the way I do. Not the way you do. Somehow that makes us…I don't know…unique. Or maybe even special. I wasn't looking for you to assuage my guilt. I was just…looking for you to be my- friend."

In that miniscule moment before Regina responded, Emma witnessed a barrage of emotions sweeping across Regina's face. If forced to put a name to all of them, Emma knew she'd fail. But was she did know, was that somehow, some way, she might have just gotten through to Regina Mills.

"You thought we were friends?"

Regina seemed to be trying to swallow a lump in her throat. But ever the stoic human being that she was, showing any emotion other than anger was likely to kill her. But Emma had seen it. Emma always sees it. Especially when Regina thinks no one is looking, Emma always sees her and a tiny bubble of hope was quickly working its way to the surface. Emma wanted to hide her emotions, but she'd never been all that good at it.

"Crazy. Right?" She gave the brunette a half smile. "But I thought it could be that it was possible. I'm not gonna stop trying. Even if you still want to kill me."

Emma turned then, always knowing when to drop the mic and walk away. She was good with exits. If you walk away at just the right time, your exit can say a million things that you weren't able to.

"Emma. Wait."

Emma turned a little faster than she would have, had she actually had any control over her body. But just hearing those two words escaping Regina's mouth was enough to make her head spin. Emma's heart was racing as she watched Regina's features warring over what she was about to say.

"I don't…want to kill you." Regina rolled her eyes, but the impact of the words was enough to make Emma jump up and down on the inside.

"See. That's a start." The smile that lit up Emma's face then would have lit the entire vault if the candles had miraculously disappeared. And the hopefulness in her tone was enough to make Regina smile just a little as well. Emma knew she was trying to hide it though.

Emma had just been ready to walk away. She knew that if she said much more she'd run the risk of ruining the whole foundation that they'd slowly begun to build again. But she just couldn't seem to help herself. Emma found herself stepping back towards the timid brunette standing just a few feet away from her. She knew that to risk approaching Regina was just that. A risk. But something in her gut was telling her the moment would be worth it. Suddenly the room seemed small and Emma felt herself breaking out into a sweat. Emma watched as Regina shifted uncomfortably, staring at the floor but keeping Emma in her sights. If forced to put it into words, Emma would have described her as a cornered animal and cornered animals were capable of anything.

"Emma." Regina warned her gently. "What are you-"

"I'm just…getting closer, Regina." Emma gave her another half-smile. A mild attempt at reassurance. "I'm not going to hurt you."

Emma knew Regina wasn't upset about losing Robin. That would have been way too easy. But easy is what she knew Regina was letting everyone think that's why she was angry. But no. No. Regina's hurt was coming from somewhere far different. What she didn't understand was why she was the only one who could see the truth. All her life, Regina had been told what to do. Where to go. How to act. Who to be seen with. The man she loved, taken away senselessly. Forced to marry a man more than twice her age. Forced to help raise a child who wasn't much younger than she had been. And even after she'd enacted the curse, her life had been one predisposed moment after the next. Forced to relive the same day over and over again and never finding the satisfaction she'd been seeking since the day Daniel had been taken from her.

But not anymore. Emma would see to that. Never again would Regina have to live a life that someone else expected her to live. Never again would she be forced to live with a destiny that wasn't her choosing.

"You shouldn't." Regina warned her. But the fight in her tone was long gone. "I know what you're thinking and you just- you shouldn't come any closer, Emma."

Regina stood stock still as Emma grew closer anyway. _How could Emma possibly know what she was feeling? How after all their arguments and fights could Emma Swan possibly want to be her friend? Or more than friends?_ Regina arched her eyebrow at that last thought. Neither of them had said anything about _more than friends_. They barely even liked each other. Right? Regina had no idea how she was feeling except for the knot in the pit of her stomach that for some reason refused to go away. Something in the way Emma moved toward her left Regina feeling almost as if she were prey. But she didn't move. A mere few inches between them, Emma stopped, reaching out slowly for Regina's hands. Hands that were tucked tightly around her own waist in a protective stance. Reluctantly Regina freed her hands from the tight confines she'd been holding them in. Her defensive position slowly dissipating.

"I'm not going to hurt you." Emma whispered. Her voice cracking on each word. Her mouth, dry and her tongue feeling heavy. Suddenly, what she was doing didn't seem quite so easy.

"But you did." Regina looked up then, meeting Emma's searching eyes with her own.

"I may have thrown your world for a loop," Emma swallowed the lump in her throat. "But did I really hurt you?"

Regina looked down again then. Her eyes burning a hole through their joined hands. She said nothing. Regina had no idea what she could say even if she had wanted to. She knew that Emma was right. She knew that it wasn't Robin she was truly upset over. She hadn't truly known the man. What she'd known, was that she'd been told _once again_ who she was supposed to be with and because he'd been nice and if she was honest with herself, easy on the eyes, Regina had just went with it. After all, all she'd ever wanted was to love and be loved. No. Emma hadn't hurt her. Emma had inadvertently shoved her right back to the beginning. Do not pass go. Do not collect two hundred dollars. But if Regina had been given time to think about the entire scenario what Emma had truly done was give her a _get out of jail free_ card.

"I should probably go."

Emma gave Regina's hands a light squeeze when she didn't respond. She tried not to take the silence personal. Emma knew that Regina spent plenty of time in her own head, thinking things through. She knew it was best to give her space sometimes. When Regina still said something, Emma gently released her hands and took a step back. And then another. And another. All the while watching Regina stare at her own hands as if they were something foreign to her. Just as she turned once again, content with the idea that she'd said enough for one night, she heard Regina speak up.

"Don't." Regina's voice cracked and the word barely made it past her lips. Emma turned to face her again. "Everyone- Everyone leaves. Please don't go."

Emma's heart leapt into her throat then. She could tell Regina was doing her best to maintain some semblance of composure. This was not a woman who broke easily. But Emma knew, deep down, both of them were broken just a little. Wasn't she supposed to be the Savior? How could Emma save Regina when she needed saving herself? Or maybe, just maybe, they were meant to save _each other_.

Three long strides and Emma was once again standing in Regina's personal space. Her chest was heaving with more emotion than she had any clue what to do with. But what she did know was that this woman- this stubborn, gorgeous and maddeningly infuriating woman had just asked her to stay. There wasn't a chance in hell she was going anywhere now. Maybe together they could fill the holes that life had created for them. Maybe together they could find the light. Find a way to feel. To save each other. To make each other happy. Emma reached up then. One hand on Regina's waist and the other slowly making its way up her neck and with one finger under her chin, she urged Regina to look her in the eyes.

"Not everyone leaves, Regina." Emma smiled, searching her caramel brown eyes for something akin to permission. After a moment, she found it. "Sometimes you just have to find the one who stays and is worth staying _for._ "

Emma had no idea which one of them caved first but the next thing she knew she was leaning in and Regina was closing her eyes and without a second thought she was leaning into the soft warm lips of Emma Swan. Sworn nemesis and birth mother of her son. A small whimper escaped her lips and Emma deepened the kiss, using both arms to pull the petite woman closer than either thought possible. Their tongues searching each other's mouths, colliding together like the waves on the beach. Emma could feel her own need building and suddenly it seemed as if she could feel Regina's as well. Both women were breathing impossibly fast, lips crashing, teeth scraping and bodies rolling together. When Regina felt her back hit the wall, suddenly Emma was pulling back, her eyes searching Regina's as if she was waiting for Regina to push her away. Instead, she found Regina's hand on her cheek and a smile on the brunette's face.

"You really are an idiot." Regina smiled at the blonde in her arms.

"Maybe." Emma replied, still out of breath. "But I'm _your_ idiot."

 **"Stay"**

 **All along it was a fever**

 **A cold sweat hot-headed believer**

 **I threw my hands in the air, said, "Show me something,"**

 **He said, "If you dare, come a little closer."**

 **Round and around and around and around we go**

 **Oh now, tell me now, tell me now, tell me now you know.**

 **Not really sure how to feel about it.**

 **Something in the way you move**

 **Makes me feel like I can't live without you.**

 **It takes me all the way.**

 **I want you to stay**

 **It's not much of a life you're living**

 **It's not just something you take–it's given**

 **Round and around and around and around we go**

 **Oh now, tell me now, tell me now, tell me now you know.**

 **Not really sure how to feel about it.**

 **Something in the way you move**

 **Makes me feel like I can't live without you.**

 **It takes me all the way.**

 **I want you to stay.**

 **Ooh, ooh, ooh, the reason I hold on**

 **Ooh, ooh, ooh, 'cause I need this hole gone**

 **Funny you're the broken one but I'm the only one who needed saving**

 **'Cause when you never see the light it's hard to know which one of us is caving.**

 **Not really sure how to feel about it.**

 **Something in the way you move**

 **Makes me feel like I can't live without you.**

 **It takes me all the way.**

 **I want you to stay, stay.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Same as the one before. Characters are not mine. Only borrowed.**

 **ALMOST READY TO BREAK**

Regina sat heavily on the bench among her mother's things as she watched Emma disappear out of sight. _Had Emma really just kissed her? Or had she kissed Emma?_ Regina kept replaying the last few moments over and over in her head. Emma Swan was not an option. Regina shook her head as if to rid herself of the thoughts that were running rampant through her mind. _Why in the hell had she kissed Emma Swan?_ The thought kept coming back to her and suddenly Regina felt as if she needed a drink. She stood quickly then, surveying her surroundings. What had she even been doing before Emma had walked in? Staring at the empty mirror? She didn't even know now. Regina could feel the frustration growing like a rock in the pit of her stomach. How could she let _The Savior_ cloud her judgment? How could she have let her in like they hadn't been at each other's throats for the last three years? Yet somehow Emma Swan had managed to slip right under her radar and take over her good senses.

In one angry swipe, Regina shoved the shelf full of books halfway across the room before grabbing her head and rubbing her eyes. The books. What good were they now anyway? She couldn't help Robin. Or Marian. And if she was completely honest with herself, Regina couldn't help but wonder why in the hell she was even trying. Did she feel obligated? No. Why would she? Did she feel guilty? That was a definite no. Until Emma had returned from the Enchanted Forest with Marian in tow, she hadn't been doing anything wrong. And the minute she realized just whose life Emma had saved, Regina had walked away. There wasn't a chance in hell she was going to stand in the way of a marriage that deep down, she knew was meant to be. And it wasn't until Emma had run out of the diner after her, once again and informed her that Marian had died by her hands did the impact of the entire situation hit her.

Regina had despised Robin's presence in the Enchanted Forest. For a year she'd done nothing short of simply putting up with his presence which at best was barely tolerable. And then the miraculous missing year happened and suddenly Robin continued to conveniently show up in the strangest places. Places which, if Regina had given it any thought at the time, were far more convenient than she would have cared for. But Tink had been in her ear, constantly reminding her that Robin was her True Love and how she had ruined Robin's life by not going after him when Tink had originally told her to. But Regina just didn't care anymore. If anything, Emma's return with Marian had simply opened her eyes. Robin was a kind man. But if she thought long and hard about it…was he really the kind of person she wanted in her life? A man who insisted on being a protector. A man who insisted on showing up at every opportune moment. Regina didn't need a protector. She was more than capable of taking care of herself. Had he made her feel good about herself? Yes. But none of that mattered. What she needed was someone willing to stand by her side. Not in front of or behind her. But beside her. A secondary strength to match her own. Robin was none of those things.

Suddenly Regina felt as if her eyes had been opened. Robin had merely been another symbol for things in her life that had taken away her control. He represented the very thing in all her life that she had despised the most. Being told where to go. What to do. _Who to love._ But no more. Even if she was single for the rest of her natural life, never again would anyone tell Regina who she should or should not be with. _Happy endings be damned._

 **. . .**

A knock on her office door caused Regina to look up from the paperwork laid out in front of her. She didn't bother telling whoever it was to come in because she recognized the knock immediately. Emma Swan wasn't going to wait for permission, regardless. And just as suspected, Regina kept a watchful eye on the door that opened just a moment later. Emma entered the room just as casually as always, but there was an air about her that Regina could only assume had carried over from the night before.

"Miss Swan. How can I help you?" Regina asked, looking back down to focus on the paperwork in front of her.

Emma faltered at the use of the formality. She hadn't meant to, but something about the lack of personal inflection in Regina's tone had her immediately concerned. Her brows furrowed, Emma approached the Mayors desk and sat a folder down in front of the woman behind the desk. "I just…brought these papers by that you requested last week.."

"I requested them _last week_ for a reason Miss Swan. Five days later seems a little bit pointless, wouldn't you say?"

Regina's eyes never left her desk, but she did take a brief moment to move the file off to the side and out of her line of sight. Emma was pissed. She knew they'd had a breakthrough the night before and by no means did Emma expect Regina to welcome her with open arms as if the past three years of their history had simply disappeared. But the cold shoulder was completely unexpected. Emma was suddenly feeling a little bit _more_ than pissed off.

"Well excuse me, _Madame Mayor_ , for being a little busy chasing down a giant snow monster, getting trapped in an ice cave in which I almost _froze_ to death and trying to figure out who our most recent residents are and where the hell they came from."

Regina cringed internally but refused to let the impact of Emma's words show. She knew that Emma was right and how she was treating her wasn't exactly fair. Whether she liked it or not, Emma had managed to break through her walls, no matter how small of a hole she'd made, she'd managed to chip away at it just enough to aggravate her. And the minute Emma had left her the night before, Regina had been left alone with her thoughts and her chipped wall and even if no one else ever knew, that was never a good thing. For as much as Emma had insisted they were both alike. Both _broken._ Emma was ever the hopeful one. Regina could only chalk it up to the Charming blood running through her veins. That _I will always find you_ and _There's always the possibility of hope_ crap that they were always spewing. How was it possible for something so insipid to actually be genetic? Lost in her own thoughts, Regina snapped out of them when she heard Emma clear her throat. Looking up, she realized the woman was still standing there waiting for some kind of response.

"I'm sorry. Emma, I'm sorry." Regina apologized around the lump of distaste in her throat. "I hope you understand the pressure I'm under right now."

Emma's features softened slightly at Regina's tone. She was quickly recognizing it for what it was. Defense. Don't let anyone in. Don't get hurt. Well that was bullshit and Emma wasn't going to put up with it. "Oh I understand all right."

Emma turned then, walking away. Regina wanted to play games? They could play games. Without another word, Emma pulled the office door shut behind her a little harder than she probably should have. But deep down, she was angry. She had kissed Regina. She hadn't asked her for a relationship. Did it change the fact that Regina had managed to worm her way into Emma's heart? No. But Emma would rather die than beg for Regina to talk about what had happened. She'd put herself out there, Regina had responded. And now she was responding in a completely different manner.

Regina jumped when the door slammed shut. Dropping her pen, she took a deep breath and exhaled slowly if not heavily. The weight on her chest was threatening to kill her. How many times was she going to push? How many times was she going to sit back and wait for Emma to come after her? Better yet, how many times would Emma come through before she finally gave up? Regina squeezed her eyes shut, pushing down the prickling of tears that were threatening to overflow. All she'd ever wanted was a happy ending. But it seemed like every time it was within her reach, somehow it managed to disappear. But this time, it would be no one's fault but her own. Regina felt as if she was ready to break. The weight of her life, the one she had built and the one that had been forced upon her was weighing far too heavily on her shoulders. And all she wanted was nothing more than someone to fall into. Someone to save her. From herself. From the outside world. From the weight of everything that had ever been expected of her.

Was it possible that's what Emma had been offering her? Not just friendship. Not just a relationship. But the opportunity to have someone willing to stand next to her. To have her back without actually feeling the need to physically watch it as if she was incapable. Resting her elbows on her desk, Regina allowed her face to fall into her hands. For so long all she'd felt was empty. Her heart, which she had thought dead, simply felt empty. But when Emma had approached her, so slowly, so carefully, Regina had felt her heart swell. A feeling she hadn't felt since before Daniel had died. How long would Emma wait before she gave up? How long could Regina wait before she finally gave in? She honestly had no idea what kind of sign she was actually waiting for considering the major one that had been waved in front of her face just the night before. Emma wasn't a simple woman by any standards. And Regina knew she was right. They were alike, the two of them. Emma had been so reassuring that they would both be fine if they could just manage to work together for a change.

And then they'd kissed. Regina ran her hands through her hair, looking around the stark and silent office. Her fingers somehow found their way to her lips and lingered there. If she was honest with herself, she had agreed with every single word that had slipped past Emma Swan's lips. So why, only moments ago, had she treated Emma so poorly. Why had she dismissed her as if what had happened between them meant nothing? Regina knew they'd both felt it. Was it True Love's Kiss? No. Could it be one day?

Regina shook her head. That was a question she was nowhere near ready to answer. But what she did know was that if she was completely honest with herself Emma had been coming after her for a long time. A lot longer than she'd let herself believe. Suddenly terrified, Regina gathered her things, unwilling to leave her desk in a cluttered mess and stacked the files and papers away to deal with later. Right now, she had to find Emma. She had to find Emma and make things right regardless of whether it was simply a budding friendship or the possibility of something more. Regina wanted to tell herself that she wasn't the type to rush. To jump head first into something as serious as a relationship and some form of commitment, but she'd done that with Robin and it was exactly why she had no intention of doing that with Emma. Emma was not Robin. Or better yet, _Robin_ would _never_ be Emma Swan. _No one_ would ever be Emma Swan.

On shaky legs Regina left her office and headed quickly for her car. Where she was going, she didn't have a clue. Emma could be anywhere by now. Sitting behind the wheel of her Mercedes, Regina wracked her brain for a moment before deciding to just start in one place and check every possible option for where the other woman might be. How in the hell had Emma gotten to her like this? How in the hell had Emma gotten into her head and run away with her heart? _Heart?_ Regina shook off the thought immediately. It was far too soon to be thinking things like that. She drove past Emma's apartment first. The diner. The Sheriff's station. Emma wasn't at any of those places. But just as she was about to turn around, Regina pulled into the marina parking lot and spotted Emma's yellow bug in the far corner closest to the dock.

Regina put the car in park and wondered exactly what she planned to do now that she'd actually found her. What could she possibly say? Whatever it was, Regina knew that it could only be the truth because for some reason Emma Swan never failed to see right through her. Regina took a deep breath. And then another. She exited the car and headed to the edge of the lot, searching in all directions for where Emma might be. She spotted her, finally, sitting on a bench halfway down the pier and suddenly Regina was taken back to the day she'd approached Emma in that very same spot to question her about Neal. Only this time, instead of approaching Emma with intent and anger, Regina felt cautious. Emma was a runner, it was true. But Regina knew she'd be lying if she said that Emma had never run from her. It was the opposite in fact. There were days when Regina had begged to whatever deity was out there that the infuriating woman would just go away. But she never did. Regina smiled to herself at the thought.

"You push me away because you're afraid." Emma spoke up, having felt the woman approaching her from behind. Regina faltered. "You say hurtful things and treat me like I'm someone you can just shove away and you have the nerve to walk up to me with a smile on your face?"

Emma didn't bother turning to look at the former Queen. She'd felt Regina's presence. She'd sensed the simmering smile on her lips and as soon as she'd spoken up, she'd felt Regina stumble.

"Emma, I-" Regina took a deep breath and sat sideways on the opposite bench. Once again reminiscent of their conversation so long ago. "I'm sorry for the way I spoke to you."

"It's Emma again, is it?" Emma scoffed and shook her head.

"You spooked me, Emma." Regina admitted. Shoving her hands in her coat pockets, she hung her head awkwardly at the admission. "I can count on one hand the number of people in my life who have accomplished such a feat. And you are one of them."

"Great." Emma's eyes searched the bay, but Regina wasn't sure what she was looking for. All she knew was Emma was looking everywhere but at her.

"Emma? Please look at me?" Regina spoke softly, hopeful that Emma would at least give her that.

"Why, Regina?" Emma did look at her then. She surprised them both as well, when she turned to face the other woman on the bench next to her. "So you can reject me to my face? So you can tell me how _I_ made a mistake. So you can tell me how _I_ misread the situation and was way out of line?"

"Emma, you weren't the only one doing the kissing." Regina responded. She felt a wave of heat rise to her cheeks at the memory. "I- I was in a bad place. I was angry. And you showed up. Somehow you always show up and I know that I push you to every possible limit. But it's all I know."

"It's been three years, Regina." Emma shook her head, ready to dispute any and everything Regina was most likely about to throw at her. "I've watched you change. I've watched you get stronger. But every time something good is about to happen…you shut down. You- you empty yourself of every possible emotion because _you're_ afraid of getting hurt. And I watch you fall apart. Like you're about to break."

"I keep looking for a sign." Regina's voice was so low that if Emma hadn't been paying attention, she might have missed it. "But all this time, I haven't been able to see it because my eyes have been closed."

"That's understandable." Emma reasoned, forcing a smile onto her lips. She was terrified of the endless possibilities that lay before them. "You said you didn't want to kill me. Basically that- we could be friends."

"Emma, I've never been good at 'friends'." Regina admitted, her eyes searching Emma's face for any sort of response or sign. But the moment she saw Emma's shoulders fall and her eyes staring blankly at the ground, Regina knew she needed to clarify her point. "I've never been good at being someone's friend. And I…I've never had a fair chance at being someone's…partner."

Emma's head jerked up at that. But before she could speak, Regina held a hand up to stop her.

"I came to find you because I knew-" Regina furrowed her brows and swallowed the lump in her throat. "I was afraid that if I didn't, that I'd have missed the opportunity and you'd have given up on me."

"Regina, I may get angry with you because you push. You always push. You test everyone around you to see how far you can go before they break and give up. But if you haven't noticed, it's been three years and I'm still _right here!"_ Emma slid forward on the bench. She reached across the expanse and let her hand rest on Regina's knee. "I'd kiss you again but I'm afraid it will send you into another downward spiral and tomorrow I'll be _Miss Swan_ again. But I-"

"Have dinner with me." Regina looked at Emma as the words flew out of her mouth. Something about Emma kept her holding on and that was a feeling Regina wasn't sure she would ever be willing to let go of. "Tonight? My house?"

"I suppose Henry can stay with my mom and dad." Emma smiled. "Regina, I would love to have dinner with you."

Emma stood then and held out a hand for the other woman to take. And she did. Emma walked them back toward their respective vehicles but instead of stopping off at her own, she continued to walk hand in hand, guiding Regina to her own car. When they'd reached their destination, Emma reached past her and pulled open the door. Regina smiled to herself. No one had ever opened a door for her. Not like this. She decided immediately that she liked it and the tension in her chest threatened to break her once again. She wouldn't cry. She refused. Just as she was about to get into the car, Regina turned and leaned in to give Emma the lightest kiss on the lips, surprising them both. Emma didn't say a word. Regina climbed into the driver's seat and just before she pulled the door shut, she spoke up one last time.

"7:30 Miss Swan. I expect you to be on time." Regina smiled to herself and pulled the door to.

Emma remained speechless. But the smile wasn't leaving her face any time soon.

 **"Angel"**

 **Never ending always in my heart**

 **Unworthy feeling whenever we're apart**

 **No way of knowing that things might change**

 **My happy ending looks so far away**

 **I'm so empty, too heavy**

 **Almost ready to break**

 **And I can't wait much longer**

 **I need more than just an angel**

 **And I can't act much stronger**

 **I need more than just an angel**

 **I keep my head up looking for a sign**

 **Something to tell me that I'll be fine**

 **Why do I have to do this on my own?**

 **I am surrounded but I feel so alone**

 **I'm so empty, too heavy**

 **Almost ready to break**

 **And I can't wait much longer**

 **I need more than just an angel**

 **And I can't act much stronger**

 **I need more than just an angel**

 **An angel**

 **And everything is so wrong**

 **I tell myself to be strong**

 **Just to keep me holding on**

 **What does it mean to feel love?**

 **To show you what I'm made of**

 **And I'm afraid I've had enough**

 **And I can't wait much longer**

 **I need more than just an angel**

 **And I can't act much stronger**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Characters are not mine. Only borrowed.**

 **SHATTERED**

Regina opened the front door to find Emma standing awkwardly on the porch. Hands in her pockets as usual. Though if she gave it any thought, Regina wasn't quite sure how there was even room for Emma to even put her hands in there. She shook the thought from her head when she realized that she'd been staring. Emma smiled at her, knowing Regina had somehow gotten lost in her thoughts and she knew she'd be lying if she wasn't the slightest bit amused at knowing she was the reason.

"Five minutes early?" Regina asked, looking at the watch on her wrist. "I'm impressed."

"I aim to impress." Emma shrugged and smiled brightly. Regina swallowed the lump in her throat. _It's only Emma._ She told herself. _Only Emma? Emma Swan, who you kissed just yesterday._ Emma shifted from one foot to the other bringing Regina out of her thoughts once again.

"Please. Come in." Regina stood back holding the door open and gesturing for Emma to come inside. "I was just finishing dinner. Can I- Would you like me to take your jacket?"

Emma eyed the other woman carefully as she slid the red leather jacket off of her shoulders. "You're not going to hide it or- burn it, are you?"

Emma smiled at the sound that escaped Regina's lips. "Was that a laugh? A genuine laugh?"

Regina composed herself immediately. "No. I'm not going to destroy your coat, Emma."

What Emma didn't know was that for all the times Regina had looked at her as if her clothing choices were less than tasteful, Regina secretly appreciated the red leather. Something about it complimented Emma's complexion and her blonde curls and brought out the green of her eyes. Regina took the jacket from Emma and moved to hang it on the coat tree by the front door. With her back to Emma, Regina took the opportunity to compose herself. There were so many thoughts and emotions flowing through her head that she didn't know if she was going to make it through dinner. It was just dinner. Dinner. That's all. Nothing more. No expectations. Or were there?

"Regina?" Emma broke through her reverie, once again bringing Regina back to earth. When Regina's eyes met Emma's she smiled. "Do you need help with the food? I'm really not as bad in the kitchen as our son would have you believe."

"It's all done. I was just setting the table when you got here." Regina touched Emma's arm as she passed by, silently suggesting Emma follow her into the other room.

"It smells good, whatever it is."

Emma took a deep breath allowing the aroma of the food to invade her senses. She was already hungry when she'd arrived, but seconds after walking into the mansion her stomach was growling as if she hadn't fed herself in days. Looking around the room, Emma noticed the dim lighting of the dining room. Two lit candles in the center of the table and the place settings spaced just far enough apart to be comfortable, but not so far as to put an awkward distance between the two. She decided immediately that she liked it.

"Would you like a glass of wine? Or-"

"Whatever you're having is fine with me." Emma assured her. She suddenly found herself with her hands shoved in her back pockets wondering what she should do with herself as Regina moved about the kitchen. "Are you sure there's nothing I can do?"

Regina poured two glasses of what Emma guessed was a Chardonnay and handed the glasses over to her while Regina corked the bottle. Emma took that as her cue to take the glasses to the table. As far as etiquette went, Emma was clueless. But she was smart enough to know that sitting down was not an option until Regina was ready to sit down herself. Emma leaned on the bar, watching as the other woman plated their food carefully. She smiled at the care Regina seemed to take in making the arrangement look just right. Once she was finished, Emma followed Regina back to the dining room where Regina sat their plates in their respective places. Just as she was about to reach for her chair, Emma moved behind her and pulled the chair out for Regina to take her seat. Regina smiled to herself at the effort Emma seemed to be putting in. Seating herself then, Emma reached for her wine glass to take a sip.

"Thank you for cooking, Regina. This smells…delicious."

"You're welcome, Emma." Regina gave her a slight nod. "It's a lemon-herb chicken breast with roasted red potatoes and of course, the salad. I hope Caesar is okay?"

"Of course." Emma wasted no more time before digging into her food. She was starving and it was all she could do to control herself from inhaling the food in one bite. The two women ate in silence, both enjoying the meal and each other's company. Halfway through her dinner, Emma sat her fork down and wiped at her mouth with the napkin Regina had laid out with the rest of the place settings. "Regina I- thank you, for inviting me over. I know that we're just getting to know each other- I mean, actually know each other and I don't mean like we have for the past three years. Because for the past three years, we haven't known each other at all."

Regina swallowed the bite of food she'd been chewing and waited to see where Emma was going with the conversation. She was thankful that Emma had spoken up because although their silence had been comfortable for once, it wasn't silence that she wanted between them. Emma had said she hoped they could be friends. If they were going to be friends _or more_ , they were going to have to get to know each other as Regina and Emma. Not as Henry's moms who couldn't get along. And much to her dismay, Regina had been allowing more and more far too honest thoughts to cross through her mind these past couple days. One of which being the fact that she'd never truly hated Emma. Had she been annoyed by her? Yes. And more times than she could count. But it was in this moment when Regina realized that she'd only been annoyed because she'd been fighting the attraction. Something about Emma always drew her in and the tension between them was a constant battle. She didn't know why until now.

"What are you thinking?" Emma asked quietly, breaking the silence once more. She resumed eating, not wanting to let a single bite go to waste. "I-I know it's going to take some time, but you _can_ trust me, Regina. I'm not going anywhere and in case you haven't noticed, our son is pretty much the only friend I have."

Regina nodded as she finished her food, setting the napkin down on the table next to her empty plate.

"I've been alone for a long time, Emma." She admitted quietly and if Emma heard correctly, it almost sounded as if there was a tinge of shame in her voice. "Opening up isn't something I do because all it's ever done is cause me pain."

Emma pushed her plate away, officially unable to finish the rest of her meal. She hated the fact that Regina was feeling the way she felt. But at the same time, Emma understood completely. For 28 years she'd been on her own with no one to trust or rely on but herself. Not even with Neal had she been completely free to be herself. Her guard was always up and as it eventually turned out, her fears were completely warranted. Whether Neal had meant to hurt her or not, the fact remained that he'd left her stranded and pregnant. In jail. For a crime that he had committed. But Emma had long since let those past indiscretions go. Some things just weren't worth holding on to. But in this very moment, looking at the woman next to her, Emma was beginning to realize that some things _were_ worth fighting for. And she didn't know where things were going between Regina and herself. But Emma was hopeful.

"Regina…" Emma sighed quietly to herself. Out of all the women in the entire world, somehow she'd ended up falling for the most difficult of them all. But honestly, Emma didn't care. She'd always enjoyed a challenge. And while Regina was not a prize to be conquered and won, there was no doubt that at the end of the day, if she had this woman in her arms there was no way she was ever going to let go. "I don't want to rush into things with you. We both have history. Separate histories. And- well, we definitely have histories with each other. But that doesn't mean I'm any less interested in finding out just where this all might lead."

Taking a deep breath, Regina pushed her chair back and began to clear the dishes from the table. Emma, slightly confused, just went with it. Regina had cooked and there wasn't a chance in hell that Emma was going to sit back and let her clean up as well. So she quickly followed, grabbing the wine glasses and sitting them on the bar next to the bottle of wine. The folded and used napkins she left lying on the island counter unsure of what exactly should be done with them. And it was clear that Regina was not one to leave a single thing for the next day, so Emma moved to stand next to the sink and began helping with the dishes. It was a simple routine. One that felt oddly familiar, but more importantly…comfortable. Regina cleaned the dishes and passed them to Emma, who was standing impossibly close, so that she could dry and place them on the rack to the put away later.

Emma was standing so close that Regina could feel the heat radiating from the other woman's body, causing her own temperature to rise and her cheeks to flush. Regina couldn't remember ever feeling so aroused as she was in this very moment. She risked a glance at the blonde next to her and couldn't help but smile to herself at the way her blonde curls seemed to shine in the dim light of the dining room and kitchen light. Suddenly Regina didn't feel quite so hollow. The silence between them was deafening, but it seemed that neither woman minded.

With the task at hand finished, Emma turned to lean against the counter, eyeing the glasses sitting next to the bottle of wine. "How about another drink?"

"That sounds good." Regina agreed, moving to reach for the bottle. Emma jumped in, stopping Regina by taking her hand.

"Let me. It's the least I can do." Regina stood back and watched as Emma topped off their glasses. Handing one to Regina, Emma smiled and began to back her way towards the entrance to the open foyer. Regina, intrigued, wasted no time in following. "Is it okay if we sit in your study?"

"Sure." Was all she said. Emma stood back and gestured for Regina to enter first. She hadn't noticed that Emma had brought the bottle of wine along with her until she was sitting it on the low coffee table in front of the couch. Unsure of where things were heading, Regina took a seat on one end of the couch, expecting Emma to sit on the other end. Regina was wrong. Emma pulled one leg up, tucking it underneath her, mindful not to let her boots touch the leather. She turned just enough so that she could drape one arm across the back of the couch and watched as Regina stared blankly into her glass. "I'm sorry, again, Emma. For how I acted this afternoon. I-"

"No more apologizing." Emma stopped her from saying more. Reaching out, she took one of Regina's hands in her own. "We can talk about the ' _why_ ' all you want, but there's nothing for you to be sorry for. We've both been a little shattered, ya know? We've led completely different lives, but at the end of the day, we're pretty much the same. We both push and pull and I can only assume that's why all we've ever done is tried to one-up each other. And not just where Henry's concerned."

Regina didn't say anything, but idly toyed with Emma's fingers where they remained tangled with her own. Sometimes, she realized it was best just to listen. It had never been one of her strong suites, but with Emma, everything was new. It seemed with every breath, every heartbeat and every word, Regina's faith in love was slowly being restored. Emma finished her glass of wine and sat it on the table in front of them. The night before when they'd been traipsing through woods, Emma had told Regina that she hadn't exactly had a lot of opportunity to work on her magic. And she may or may not have used a tone of voice that she was hopeful would coerce Regina into offering to help her with it again. Emma knew Regina was loathe to admit it, but the fact of the matter was that their magic was ultimately stronger when they were together. A fact which had been proven time and time again. But what Emma hadn't told her was that she actually had been practicing little things here and there when no one was around to distract her.

"Regina, can I possibly- maybe…see, I've been working on something and I'd really like to try it and I-"

"Emma, I don't know where you're going with this, but I'm not sure we're ready to-"

"Oh my god, no." Emma's face flushed. She felt the heat rising to her cheeks at an impossibly fast pace and shook her head to further prove her point. "When I said I hadn't really been able to work on practicing my magic, that wasn't exactly the truth."

"Oh?" Regina was intrigued. But at the same time, Emma had downed two glasses of wine over the past hour and knowing how her magic worked sometimes, Regina found herself slightly nervous over what was possibly about to happen.

"I've been working on something and I thought maybe- maybe I could try it here? With you?" Emma stood, looking around the room. When she spotted what she was looking for, she reached out and took Regina's glass from her before taking her hands and pulling her up and off of the couch. Regina was unsure of what was going to happen, but she was trying to have faith that Emma wouldn't do anything to intentionally put either of them in any danger. Emma led them to a more spacious spot in the room and with one arm, she pulled Regina close, barely a breath of air left between them. Emma held out one hand, focusing all her attention on the iPod dock sitting on Regina's desk. A second later, the room was filled with sound and Regina couldn't help the smile that completely took over her features. There was no iPod sitting in the dock, yet somehow Emma had managed to make it play a song. "Dance with me?"

How could Regina say no? She couldn't. And wouldn't have even considered it. Such a small feat and yet she found herself more proud of Emma than she had ever been. With one arm around Emma's shoulder, Regina took her other hand and allowed Emma to lead. Impressed yet again, it seemed as if Emma actually knew how to dance. And as the music played and the beat grew more and more intense, Regina felt herself being pushed from Emma's arms and twirled in a circle before Emma was pulling her back into her body. Regina's back against Emma's chest and Emma smiling to herself as she turned Regina in her arms once again. Both women were breathing heavily and before they knew it, the song was coming to an end. Regina had never felt more alive than in this moment. Here in Emma Swan's arms.

As she looked into Emma's eyes, Regina felt as if she was falling into the sun and for once, nothing else mattered.

 **"Shattered"**

 **Yesterday I died, tomorrow's bleeding.**

 **Fall into your sunlight.**

 **The future's open wide, beyond believing.**

 **To know why, hope dies.**

 **Losing what was found, a world so hollow.**

 **Suspended in a compromise.**

 **The silence of this sound, is soon to follow.**

 **Somehow, sundown.**

 **And finding answers.**

 **Is forgetting all of the questions we called home.**

 **Passing the graves of the unknown.**

 **As reason clouds my eyes, with splendor fading.**

 **Illusions of the sunlight.**

 **And a reflection of a lie, will keep me waiting.**

 **With love gone, for so long.**

 **And this day's ending.**

 **Is the proof of time killing, all the faith I know.**

 **Knowing that faith, is all I hold.**

 **And I've lost who I am, and I can't understand.**

 **Why my heart is so broken, rejecting your love, without, love gone wrong, lifeless words carry on.**

 **But I know, all I know, is that the end's beginning.**

 **Who I am from the start, take me home to my heart.**

 **Let me go and I will run, I will not be silent.**

 **All this time spent in vain, wasted years, wasted gain.**

 **All is lost, hope remains, and this war's not over.**

 **There's a light, there's the sun, taking all shattered ones.**

 **To the place we belong, and his love will conquer all. [x2]**

 **Yesterday I died, tomorrow's bleeding.**

 **Fall into your sunlight.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: The characters are not mine, obviously. Just borrowed them for a little while!**

 **HURRICANE**

Emma was sitting in her bug; the air around her seemed to vibrate. Or maybe Emma herself was vibrating. She'd long since passed the point of being able to tell the difference. Taking in her surroundings, Emma realized she was parked in the middle of the woods. A little unsure of how she actually got there, bits and pieces of the last hour or so were starting to come back to her. Emma remembered interrogating the Snow Queen. Remembered getting frustrated and doing her best to fight the anger and trying not to let the other woman push her buttons. But Emma was hot-headed and she knew it. The woman had picked and picked until she'd crawled under Emma's skin and the next thing she knew, there was a giant hole in the wall of the Sheriff's station interrogation room. She'd tried to remain calm but the more the woman talked it felt as if a hurricane was suddenly brewing in her chest. And then she'd snapped.

Before she knew what was happening, the Snow Queen had disappeared and suddenly her mother and father were running toward her. And Hook, of course. They never listened. She'd told them to stay back. But they never listened. Least of all Hook. Emma's hands were still radiating with light and magic and still Hook had tried to grab her, against her insistence that he stay away. The minute he'd touched her, the panic she felt caused another burst of magic and suddenly there was a lamp post coming down on their heads.

Emma shook her head, staring down at her hands. The silence in the bug was deafening. And the memory of the look on her parent's faces was enough to make her run. And she'd definitely run. Now she was just sitting in her car, waiting for the buzzing in her veins to go away. But it didn't seem to be dissipating and Emma had no idea what to do. She couldn't stop the panic and the fear that someone would find her made the panic continue to grow. She could have killed someone and now…now they were all terrified of her. Emma hadn't asked for magic and she certainly hadn't learned yet to embrace it. Now- now she just wanted it gone. Her chest was heaving and she could feel the sweat on her forehead as she watched her hands glow and her fingertips crackle with energy.

"Ma!"

Emma's head jerked up at the sound of her son's voice. She yelled at him to stay where he was, without even getting out of the car. She was afraid to. Then Henry took another step. Emma reached for the door then and shocked herself in the process. She shoved the door open and shook her hands as if the action would make it all go away. Though he was still several yards away, Henry took another step.

"Henry, stop! Please!" Emma begged her son to listen. But Henry had never been good at listening. "Henry, you _have_ to listen to me. I could hurt you!"

Emma's voice cracked and she couldn't even begin to hide the fear in her eyes. Or the tears that were so close to breaking free. She would never forgive herself if she hurt her son. And then there was Regina. What would Regina say? They'd only just begun a tentative relationship that seemed to be growing a little more each time they were together and it had only been a few days. Regina had been right the night they'd trekked through the woods when she said that Emma would understand her magic better if she only bothered to study the craft. But what Regina didn't know was that there was a side of Emma that wished she could just make it all go away. At best, her magic was 50/50 and now- now it was just unpredictable. Under normal circumstances Emma could handle unpredictable. She had lived her entire life on the edge of the unknown. But Henry's life- his well-being was not something Emma would ever be willing to gamble with.

"It's okay." Henry yelled back at her. "I know you won't hurt me."

"On purpose, Henry!" Emma's words threatened to choke her. "I would never hurt you on purpose. You have no idea what happened back there! I can't be around you or anyone right now!"

"I don't need to see it, mom." Henry took his hands out of his coat pockets and held them out in front of his self as if it would somehow calm his mother down. "I know you didn't mean for any of that to happen. The magic is new to you. You're still learning."

"This isn't about learning, Henry." Emma cried, holding her still glowing hands out in front of her as if she were afraid to touch anything. "I. Can't. Control. Whatever this is."

"You can, mom! I _know_ you can! You can do anything!" Henry insisted. "You just have to believe."

Emma tried to laugh through her tears, but it only came out as a strangled sob. Her beautiful amazing son, ever hopeful and full of the Charming family belief that there was always hope. Emma wanted nothing more than to believe him. But looking at her hands, all she could feel was the panic racing through her chest and making it harder and harder to breathe. When she looked up, Emma realized she'd taken her eyes off of her son for a moment too long and Henry was quickly advancing on her.

"Henry! Stop!" Emma threw up her hands like any normal person would do when they wanted someone to stay where they were. But unfortunately for Emma, this was no ordinary situation and before she could stop it from happening, a wave of magic burst from her hands and threw her son back and further away from her than where he'd been standing to begin with. Emma looked at her hands as if they didn't even belong to her. "HENRY!"

Emma could only stand by helplessly as he rolled and came to a stop. And for what seemed like a lifetime, Henry didn't move a muscle. Emma yelled at him again. "Henry?"

Finally, she saw him move and heard what sounded like a groan of pain. When Henry looked up at his mother, his face contorted in confusion and pain. Emma covered her mouth to muffle the sobs that were wracking her body. She watched as Henry pushed himself up off the ground and brushed the dirt and pine needles off of his clothes.

"That- was rough." Henry ran his hands through his hair and almost laughed. But he did his best to conceal the near humor in the situation because he knew how truly upset his mother actually was. "Dang, ma."

"Henry, oh god!" Emma finally spoke up. "Are you okay? Are you hurt? You have to get away from me."

Henry threw a hand up at her. "I'm okay, ma! Stop! I'm okay."

"Please, Henry. Please just leave. Go back to your grandparents. Or your mom. Just…give me some time, okay?" Emma begged him, hoping he'd listen.

"Okay." Henry nodded. "Just- Mom?"

"What, Henry?"

"Please come home…"

Emma nodded through the tears and promised she would come home as soon as she could figure out how to make the glowing and the crackling go away.

 **. . .**

"Mom!" Henry flew through the front door of the mansion yelling for his other mother. From the moment he'd left Emma in the woods, Henry had immediately known what he needed to do. "MOM? Mom, where are you?"

"Henry?" Regina came out of her study as fast as she could, automatically concerned at the sound of panic in her sons voice. When she reached him, Henry's cheeks were flushed and he was out of breath, but doing his best to calm down. "Henry, what's wrong?"

"It's Ma. You have to help her, mom!" Henry forced the words out of his burning lungs. Regina couldn't help but give her son a once over and began picking dirt and leaves out of his hair and off of his clothes. "Stop, mom! We have to help Emma. You have to go help her!"

"Henry. What's wrong with Emma?" Regina was only just registering what her son was saying. "Where is she?"

"She's in the woods, Mom!" Henry spit out and then continued to tell her what he'd found out from his grandparents about what had happened at the station and how he'd snuck out of the apartment to go find her. And then he told his mom what had happened when he'd finally found Emma locked in her car. "You have to go. She won't let anyone near her."

"Okay, Henry. But you have to promise me you're going to stay right here. You don't go _anywhere_. Do you hear me?" Regina tried to convey just how serious she was, knowing how her son liked to do whatever he thought was right. "If you leave this house, the _only_ place you go is to your grandparent's apartment. I don't know how long I'll be gone, but I'll bring Emma home. Okay?"

Henry nodded enthusiastically. After telling his mom exactly where he'd found his other mother, Regina was out the door and pulling out of the driveway in record time. Before she knew it, Regina found the pull off at the entrance to the woods where Henry had told her to go. Instead of pulling into the trail, Regina decided that walking in would be best. If Emma truly was as distraught as Henry had described, she knew sneaking up on her wasn't a great idea, but at the same time she knew that giving her a heads up wasn't going to do any good either. Regina decided that she'd walked through the woods plenty of times already, what could one more time hurt? Surprisingly the walk wasn't as long as she'd anticipated and soon enough, the back of Emma's yellow bug came into sight and Regina slowed her approach, unsure of what she was walking into. The one thing she _was_ sure of was that she didn't see anyone sitting inside the vehicle which meant that Emma could be anywhere.

The closer she got, Regina moved to approach the driver's side of the car and saw Emma sitting on the ground, knees pulled up to her chest and her head in her hands. She was still far enough away that Emma hadn't heard her coming, but didn't want to spook her.

"Emma?" Regina spoke gently, but still Emma's head jerked up again and without saying a word, she was scrambling off of the ground and putting the car between herself and Regina. Regina held out her hands, hoping to calm the other woman down. She knew Emma well enough to know that she was probably wondering how Regina found her, but was smart enough to reason that she had to have talked to Henry. "Henry told me what happened."

"Is he okay?" Emma's eyes filled with tears again, looking from Regina to her hands and back to Regina once more. "Did I- is he okay? Did I hurt him?"

"Emma, he's fine." Regina did her best to reassure her. "But he's scared. And he's worried about you. And frankly, right now, so am I."

Emma shook her head and her breathing began to escalate again as she watched her hands begin to glow brighter than before. "You should- shouldn't be here. I could hurt you."

Regina scoffed at the idea, knowing that even with Emma's unpredictability, her magic was no match for Regina's. "Emma, I know right now you feel like you're sinking. And suffocating and if I had to guess, like your entire body is on fire. You can feel the magic flowing through every inch of your body and it's out of control because _you_ are out of control. I need you to talk to me. Tell me what happened."

Emma told Regina what the Snow Queen had said to her and Regina found she wasn't the least bit surprised at Emma's outburst. She would have been pissed off too, if she were Emma. Fortunately for Regina, she had much better control of her magic and Emma was still barely learning. But Regina remembered. She remembered what it was like when her magic was new. What it felt like, coursing through her body, taking over every inch of her senses and feeling as if at any moment she could burst into flames. Regina took a few steps then, hoping Emma wouldn't panic. Surprisingly, she didn't move.

"What's happening to me?" Emma's voice sounded small and Regina didn't like it one bit. This was not the strong independent woman she'd found herself slowly falling for. This woman was clearly broken. And confused. And struggling to understand. "Why is it so _easy_ for you? Why can't I make it stop?"

Emma thrust her hands out, showing Regina what they looked like. What they _had_ looked like for the past couple of hours. But when she did, sparks flew and Emma jumped, nearly tripping over a root on the ground. Regina immediately lunged for her then, unafraid of anything Emma could possibly throw in her direction. Emma panicked as soon as Regina's hands were on her and she struggled to get away.

"Emma! Emma, stop!" Regina insisted, struggling to hold onto her. "Emma, you have to breathe or else this is going to stop any time soon. You have to _trust me_."

"I-" Emma's words were interrupted when both women heard the scuff of boots on the ground and turned in the direction of the sound.

Regina immediately held out her hand when she saw Robin approaching them, crossbow in hand, pointed in their direction. "What in the hell are you doing?"

"Regina, I think you should step away. She could hurt you." Robin's face was serious, but Regina laughed anyway.

"The only person getting hurt here is you, if you don't put that thing away and take yourself for a walk."

"Regina, he's right." Emma nodded fervently. "I-"

"Emma _please_ stop talking and let me handle this." Regina pleaded, but not once did she take her hands off of the woman she was holding in her arms.

"Regina, I know you think you're doing the right thing." Robin spoke up again. "But I saw the Sheriff's Station. You didn't."

Regina had enough. She was tired of Robin showing up at the most inopportune moments and acting as if he knew what was best for her. What he needed to be worrying about was his wife. Not her. And the fact that he remained standing with his weapon pointed at Emma and subsequently at herself was the proverbial icing on the cake. His hero complex had finally gone too far and Regina was done with it. All she wanted in this very moment was to be alone with Emma. To calm her down and help her control her magic. To show her that it wasn't bad and that she actually could regulate it. That she could own it. She wanted Emma to know that it didn't have to be the other way around. But it was going to be hard to do when she was fighting with Robin about who knows best. So Regina decided to do what _she_ did best. Throwing out a hand, Regina used her magic to toss the weapon out of Robin's hands, sending him scrambling after it, confused as to why Regina was risking her life for a woman who was clearly out of control.

Just as he was about to pick the crossbow up again, Regina froze him in place. All he could do was look at her and wait for whatever she would throw at him next. "Regina, why are you doing this?"

"I will tell you this once and I will never repeat myself again." Regina's tone was threatening and suddenly Emma was reminded of her run-in with the Evil Queen version of Regina. "If you _ever_ come after her again… _I will_ _destroy you, if it is the last thing I do."_

She let him go then and he stumbled to the ground. Regina watched the hurt and confusion cross his face but she just couldn't bring herself to care. The only thing that mattered was the woman in her arms. She waited until he was gone and out of sight before addressing Emma again.

"Breathe, Emma." Regina took a deep breath with her, coaching Emma along. "You just have to breathe. I'm here and I've got you and we're going to get through this together."

Slowly Emma began to relax in her arms and Regina breathed a subtle sigh of relief. Later, when she would have more time to think about it, Regina knew she was going to be pissed at the Charming's for not calling her in the first place. With herself and Gold being the only options for dealing with out of control magic, Regina couldn't seem to fathom why _no one_ had bothered to call or come find her the minute Emma had taken off. For now she encouraged Emma to continue taking deep even breaths. She pulled Emma down to the ground with her, not caring about her clothes and the fact that they were sitting in the middle of the forest floor. All that mattered was the feeling of Emma beginning to relax.

"Emma?" Regina squeezed her gently. "Look at your hands."

Emma took a deep breath and relaxed against the woman who was quickly becoming _her_ savior when she realized the crackling and glowing was gone. Her body was growing exhausted as she felt the magic settling down and she allowed her head to fall against Regina's shoulder. As soon as she was comfortable, Emma felt Regina's lips on her head and her warm breath against her scalp.

"I told you." Regina kissed the top of her head again. "I've got you."

 **"Hurricane"**

 **No matter how many times that you told me you wanted to leave**

 **No matter how many breaths that you took, you still couldn't breathe**

 **No matter how many nights that you lie wide awake to the sound of poison rain**

 **Where did you go? Where did you go? Where did you go?**

 **As days go by, the night's on fire**

 **Tell me would you kill to save a life?**

 **Tell me would you kill to prove you're right?**

 **Crash, crash, burn, let it all burn**

 **This hurricane's chasing us all underground**

 **No matter how many deaths that I die I will never forget**

 **No matter how many lives that I live, I will never regret**

 **There is a fire inside of this heart**

 **And a riot about to explode into flames**

 **Where is your God? Where is your God? Where is your God?**

 **Ooooooo-ooohhh Ooooooo-ooohhh**

 **Do you really want...**

 **Do you really want me?**

 **Do you really want me dead,**

 **Or alive to torture for my sins?**

 **Do you really want...**

 **Do you really want me?**

 **Do you really want me dead,**

 **Or alive to live a lie?**

 **Tell me would you kill to save a life?**

 **Tell me would you kill to prove you're right?**

 **Crash, crash, burn, let it all burn**

 **This hurricane's chasing us all underground**

 **The promises we made were not enough (Never play the game again)**

 **The prayers that we have prayed were like a drug (Never gonna hit the air)**

 **The secrets that we sold were never known (Never sing a song for you)**

 **The love we had, the love we had, we had to let it go.**

 **(Never giving in again, Never giving in again)**

 **Tell me would you kill to save a life?**

 **Tell me would you kill to prove you're right?**

 **Crash, crash, burn, let it all burn**

 **This hurricane's chasing us all underground**

 **Whoa, This hurricane [x3]**

 **Whoa**

 **Do you really want...**

 **Do you really want me?**

 **Do you really want me dead,**

 **Or alive to torture for my sins?**

 **Do you really want...**

 **Do you really want me?**

 **Do you really want me dead,**

 **Or alive to live a lie?**

 **(Look up One republic)**

 **(Cry just a little)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: Characters are not mine. Only borrowed.**

 **BURN IT UP ALL NIGHT**

"I'm not ready to go back yet." Emma admitted as she walked toward her car with Regina. "What if it comes back?"

"I don't think you have to worry about that, Emma." Regina told her. But she understood where the other woman was coming from. After all Regina had been afraid of her own magic at one point in time. "We can go back to my vault. You can stay there until you're sure you're ready."

"I don't want to intrude in your space, Regina." Emma looked down at her hands, stopping next to the driver's side door of the bug. Regina watched her for a moment before taking both of Emma's hands in her own. Emma flinched, but still, Regina didn't. "I've already done that enough."

"You worry too much, Emma. I'm telling you. I'm going back to my vault and you are going to follow me." Regina spoke in an even tone but the insistence was there. She searched Emma's eyes and waited for a response.

"Okay."

 _Okay? That was all?_ Regina wasn't sure if Emma was agreeing or being sarcastic. She decided to take the high road and assume that Emma was going along with her suggestion.

"Okay then." Reluctantly Regina stepped back and dropped Emma's hands when she was too far away to hold onto them anymore. Emma watched her as she walked away and suddenly wondered where she was going.

"Regina?" Emma called after her and Regina turned to face her again. "How did you get here?"

"I left my car at the bottom of the path. I didn't want to risk giving you a heads up and having you run away from me." Regina gave her a half smile. "We can talk at the vault."

Emma followed Regina to their destination. But once hey where inside, for the first time Emma suddenly felt a little awkward. She'd never taken into account that this place was a private sanctuary for Regina. A place where she often came to be alone. Before, Emma had never given a second thought to barging in and forcing Regina to discuss whatever agenda Emma had brought with her at the time. Regina moved about the exterior rooms organizing and straightening up from where she'd been researching how to fix and save Marian. If she was honest with herself, she'd been trying hard, but it just didn't seem like a cure was anywhere near within her grasp and she suddenly felt helpless. Emma simply stood leaning against the archway watching the other woman moving about in a somewhat frantic manner. She felt a little helpless watching Regina picking up items and depositing them on shelves and in boxes which were promptly sealed with some sort of magic lock or another.

"Is there anything I can do?" Emma asked, not enjoying the useless feeling at all. "I don't mind helping."

"Uh, no." Regina answered after a moment of silence. Surveying the room she felt much better about it already. "I just didn't want anyone else stumbling in here and messing with any of this stuff. Are you ready to see my…private hideaway?"

Regina smiled at that description of her secret room.

"Lead the way." Emma said pushing off the wall to follow the other woman down one pathway and into another. When they reached the dead end of a particular hallway, Emma was confused by the simple mirror hanging there. But she remembered briefly that there was something special about the mirror and waited patiently. "This is familiar. You have a hidden room, right?"

"Right." Regina turned to smile at the woman standing next to her. "After all, I had to have a place to keep all the things I didn't want anyone else to know about, didn't I?"

Regina waved her hand in front of the mirror and a moment later the wall began to slide open, revealing a large room that quite resembled the Mayor's office and was of course every bit Regina. Solid blacks and whites with the occasional hint of crystals and small splashes of red. Every bit the Regal Queen, even in her secret hideout. Emma surveyed the room, taking it in slowly. She didn't know how long she was going to be there, but getting in a hurry seemed pointless. The room looked like an office with a desk in one corner. Couches and chairs. A tree of all things, in the middle of the room. And then, Emma spotted it. In the far corner there was a bed. And it wasn't just any ordinary bed. The four posts rising up from the floor branched out at the top, each find their way together at the center above the bed, each in the shape of a tree. It was beautiful and Emma had never seen anything like it. She knew without a doubt that it was probably the most comfortable bed in the world. She didn't know it, but Regina had been watching the entire thing and finally spoke up.

"I know you must be tired." Regina said her voice full of tenderness and concern. "You're welcome to rest as long as you want. I'll just be in the outer chamber. I can lea-"

"Regina, wait." Emma turned to the other woman, her green eyes finding Regina's own. Regina could tell that Emma felt lost. She could see it in her eyes and in her body language. She waited a moment for Emma to continue, but the silence threatened to swallow the room whole. "I- I don't…"

"I don't have to go." Regina spared Emma the struggle of finding her words.

"Will you stay?" Emma finally asked, looking around the room, from the bed and back to Regina.

Emma's magic had most likely exhausted her. Regina knew all too well what that was like and she was more than experienced with her own. Regina crossed the room in a few short steps took Emma by the hand, leading her toward the bed. Emma took in the sight of the huge bed like it was something out of a Better Homes magazine. It certainly wasn't like anything she had ever seen before in her life. If one thing was for sure, Regina could never be accused of having bad taste. The bed had four posts unlike any other. It was made of natural wood branches that rose up from the floor and branched out above the bed as if they had been freshly cut from a tree. It was nothing short of amazing. But even still, Emma didn't have the energy to comment on it yet. All she wanted was Regina in the bed, tangled up in her arms.

"I really don't want to be alone right now." Emma admitted.

"I really don't want to be alone right now, either."

The honesty in Regina's eyes mirrored Emma's and the minute the words were out of her mouth, Emma was pulling her close and their mouths were crashing together. Emma's heart was pounding in her chest as lips parted and tongues sought entrance. And Regina's fingers curled into Emma's hair as if she had no control over her own body. Suddenly there was a sharp burning sensation that ran through Regina's body, directly to her core. Hands touching bare skin, caressing the small of her back set Regina's body on fire as they continued to kiss feverishly. It was almost as if they feared a spell would break and the other would disappear. Emma searched for the hem of Regina's shirt and quickly pulled it up and over her head, tossing it aside to be dealt with later. Regina's tongue slipped out, swiping at Emma's lips and teeth, causing Emma to groan and pull her closer.

A moment later Regina was feeling lightheaded and weightless as Emma scooped her up and gently deposited her on the king size bed. Emma quickly followed, stretching out beside the other woman and resumed kissing the former Queen. Regina's arms found their way around Emma's back, slowly creeping under the Savior's shirt. Wandering fingers finding bare skin, explored every inch as Emma continued her assault on Regina's lips. Emma swiped her tongue over kiss bruised lips, seeking permission for entrance once again. The moment Regina's lips parted, teeth and tongues came together, gliding over each other. Breathing became labored as their bodies moved together. Emma moved further over, topping the other woman. One leg finding its way between Regina's thighs.

"Emma.." Regina's voice in Emma's ear sent chills down her spine and encouraged her to continue doing what she was doing. "Emma."

"Regina." Emma responded, her voice slightly muffled as she kissed her way down Regina's neck."

"Emma."

Emma paused when she felt Regina pushing on her shoulders and hovered above the woman who kept saying her name. Looking down into Regina's eyes the only thing she saw was love and desire. So why was Regina pushing her away? Why was she stopping her if this was what they both wanted? What they both had started.

"Regina...what is it?" Emma asked with a confused look.

"Emma." This time Emma was more than confused. She heard Regina say her name, but her lips weren't moving. What the hell was going on? "Emma? Wake up."

"Wake up?" Emma repeated. "What?"

"Emma, wake up!"

This time Emma heard Regina's voice loud and clear. She felt her entire body jerk and suddenly the room was pitch black and she was sitting up in bed. Emma looked around, thoroughly confused and found Regina sitting up in the bed next to her. Next thing she knew Regina's hand was running down her back and she realized that she was covered in sweat and not wearing any clothes. What the hell had just happened?

"Regina?" Emma looked at the woman next to her feeling dazed if not a little bit lost.

"You were having a dream." Regina continued to rub her back with one hand and moved to brush Emma's hair out of her face with the other. "I was afraid to wake you up. I couldn't tell if it was a really _good_ dream or a really bad one. You were making a lot of noise."

"I-" Emma paused, still trying to catch her breath. "I was- I- that was a dream?"

Regina didn't say anything, giving Emma a moment to regain her bearings. She watched as Emma ran her hands over her face and pause before holding her hands out in front of her. She could see Emma squinting in the dark as she tried to get a better look at the ring on her left hand. Regina had no clue what Emma had been dreaming about it, but could tell it had really thrown her for a loop. "You want to talk about it?"

Emma twisted the ring on her finger a few times before lying back down and pulling Regina down with her. She pulled her wife close and turned just enough to kiss her firmly on the lips.

"I had the weirdest dream that I had magic. And you- you had more magic. And mine was going crazy and I-" Emma took a deep breath and told Regina about the dream. "We had a son. He was perfect, Regina."

"Ours is going to be perfect too." Regina smiled and kissed Emma's shoulder. Her smile widened when she felt Emma's hand slowly rubbing her large baby bump. "Three more months, Emma. And we'll have our very own perfect baby boy.""

"His name was Henry." Emma's tone was reminiscent when she turned in her wife's arms, tangling their legs together and pulling her close. Emma loved lying with Regina this way, being able to feel the every growing bump against her own stomach. Feeling the baby move when Regina felt him move.

"Is that a name you've been thinking about?" Regina asked, holding Emma close. "I know we said we weren't going to pick out names until we saw him for the first time...but if you're dreaming about that name then maybe- maybe that's supposed to be his name?"

"You would really want to name him Henry?" Emma smiled, still gently rubbing her wife's protruding stomach. For some reason the name just felt right and just as she asked, the baby in question decided to make his presence known, kicking both his mothers.

"I think that's a yes." Regina smiled against Emma's lips before kissing her and laughing at the baby's continued tossing and turning. It was uncomfortable as hell but more than bearable given the circumstances.

"Yes?" Emma repeated, trying not to act too excited.

"Yes, Emma." Regina agreed. "Henry it is."

"I'm sorry for waking you up. Are you ready to go back to sleep?"

"It was worth it." Regina continued to smile though she _was_ ready to get back to sleep. "Our baby has a name."

 **Burn It Up All Night :**

 **Ouh, ouh, ouh**

 **Thought I saw you when the sun was coming up again**

 **Now I think of everything you told me**

 **Said u had like me a river running through my skin**

 **Sometimes we all are getting lonely**

 **I can see the light shining in your eyes even when you're falling asleep**

 **I can see my fate counting up the days**

 **But I still believe in you**

 **I be waiting all my life**

 **Put it down, keep me up all night**

 **Give me a taste of that good life, drink it in**

 **Put it up all night**

 **Yeah, ouh, ouh**

 **Burn it up all night**

 **Ouh, ouh**

 **All I ever wanted was a life that I made**

 **Only sometimes all you ever need someone to relate**

 **I can see the light shining in your eyes even when your falling asleep**

 **I can see my fate counting up the days**

 **But I still believe in you**

 **I be waiting all my life**

 **Put it down, keep me up all night**

 **Give me a taste of that good life, drink it in**

 **Put it up all night**

 **Ouh, ouh, yeah**

 **Burn it up all night**

 **Ouh, ouh, yeah**

 **Don't take it slow, take it home under my sheets and my clothes**

 **Don't take it slow take it home under my sheets and my clothes**

 **I be waiting all my life**

 **Put it down, keep me up all night**

 **Give me a taste of that good life, drink it in**

 **Put it up all night**

 **Yeah, ouh, ouh**

 **Burn it up all night**

 **Ouh, ouh**

 **Burn it up all night**


End file.
